Application of Nanotechnology in Agricultural Food Engineering

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Biosystem and Biological Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 609

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Guest Editor
College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
Interests: development and application of nano pesticide formulations
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Guest Editor
College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
Interests: soil science; environmental science; agricultural chemistry; contaminant fate and behavior; environmental nanotechnology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials, which have an immense potential to enhance efficiency while reducing chemical use in plant protection, are bringing unprecedented, innovative opportunities to agriculture. Their unique physicochemical properties of enable the provision of more precise and effective agricultural solutions. By introducing nanotechnology, the frequency of pesticide applications can be significantly reduced, environmental pollution risks are correspondingly lowered, and plants’ nutrient absorption and utilization efficiency are notably improved, thereby driving a comprehensive increase in agricultural productivity. However, as nanomaterials become more widely used, their potential impacts on crop growth and the environment cannot be overlooked. Some nanomaterials may be toxic to plants, interfering with their normal physiological functions, or may accumulate in soil and water, posing risks to ecosystems. Therefore, monitoring the behavior and distribution of nanomaterials in the environment, assessing their ecological safety, and studying their effects on crops and the environment have become critical to ensuring the safe and sustainable application of nanotechnology in agriculture.

This Special Issue of Agronomy will feature, but is not limited to, the following topics: (1) the impact of nanomaterials and technologies on crops and the environment; (2) detection techniques for nanomaterials in agriculture. Please inquire about other related topics before submitting a manuscript. We welcome original research articles and review articles for this collection. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Kun Qian
Dr. Tianjiao Xia
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • nanomaterials
  • agriculture
  • livestock
  • nano-pesticides
  • nano-fertilizers
  • nano-vaccines
  • disease management
  • antibiotic resistance
  • risk assessment strategies
  • regulatory framework

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

15 pages, 2469 KiB  
Review
Recent Developments of Nanomaterials in Crop Growth and Production: The Case of the Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
by Eric G. Echeverría-Pérez, Vianii Cruz-López, Rosario Herrera-Rivera, Mario J. Romellón-Cerino, Jesusita Rosas-Diaz and Heriberto Cruz-Martínez
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071716 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
Tomatoes are a fundamental part of the daily diet, rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Nonetheless, optimal fruit yield and quality typically depend on the application of synthetic agrochemicals. However, the irrational use of these agrochemicals has caused various environmental problems. [...] Read more.
Tomatoes are a fundamental part of the daily diet, rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Nonetheless, optimal fruit yield and quality typically depend on the application of synthetic agrochemicals. However, the irrational use of these agrochemicals has caused various environmental problems. Therefore, it is necessary to develop alternatives to conventional agrochemical products. Applying nanomaterials as fertilizers in tomato production is emerging as a promising approach, with documented improvements in germination, vegetative development, and fruit yield. Therefore, we present a comprehensive review of recent developments (2015–2024) in the application of nanomaterials in tomato crops, with a particular emphasis on the significance of nanomaterial characteristics in their role as fertilizers. Several types of nanomaterials, such as ZnO, Ag, TiO2, Si, hydroxyapatite, P, Zn, Se, CuO, Cu, Fe, Fe2O3, CaO, CaCO3, and S, have been evaluated as fertilizers for tomato crops, with ZnO nanoparticles being the most extensively studied. However, it is pertinent to conduct further research on the less-explored nanomaterials to gain a deeper understanding of their effects on seed germination, plant growth, and fruit quality and quantity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Nanotechnology in Agricultural Food Engineering)
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